Update: Morgan

It is with great sadness that we inform you that Morgan, the young orca rescued off the coast of the Netherlands, will not be given a chance to swim free with her native pod, but will instead be sent to an amusement park in the Canary Islands to live in captivity.

It is a fate that far too many animals have been forced to endure. Instead of being in her natural home, Morgan will live in a concrete box, unable to explore or travel as she would in the wild. She will suffer the same outcome as captive orcas before her: an inability to form complex social groups, disease, and a significantly shorter lifespan.

Her rescue was allowed only under the pretense that she would be rehabilitated and then returned to her native waters in the North Atlantic. A plan for Morgan’s release had been proposed which composed of a slow and monitored reintroduction back to her habitat. However, the authorities at the dolphinarium in the Dutch town of Hardewijk, where Morgan has been held for the past year, have decided to transport her to the Canary Islands instead of implementing any attempt for release. I wish the government in the Netherlands agreed with what most people now appreciate; the time has come to view captivity of whales and dolphins as a part of our history, not a tragic part of our future.

Morgan’s fate is one that we have the ability to stop. Orcas are not only beautiful and intelligent, but they are the apex predators of the ocean. They do not belong is a cage for our amusement; orcas belong in their natural environment where they can use their supreme intelligence to thrive in the sea.

Ocean Futures Society has supported various groups in our combined fight to give Morgan the freedom she deserves. It is never too late to show your support and join us in our fight to protect these beautiful animals.